Mystery Creature Still at Large: Yoo Hoo, Here, Knobby

By Jennie PalmerGastonia Gazette

TOLUCA- As temperatures dropped below the freezing mark and darkness settled over the mountain tops, an anxious band of about 200 gathered at the foot of Carpenter's Knob to search for its mysterious namesake.

"Knobby", an unidentified creature that folks here say has been prowling the area since shortly before Christmas, is drawing scores of curious men, women and children to this normally quiet village near the boundaries of Cleveland, Lincoln and Burke counties.

"Everybody's talking about 'Knobby', and everybody's looking for it," said Ruby Cook, who operates a country store near the Knob with her husband, Elbert.

Neither of the two has seen or heard the creature that has been described as resembling an ape, bear and panther. But Elbert's 88-year-old mother, who lives near the store, does claim to have seen it and keeps a gun handy in the event "Knobby" returns to her yard said her daughter-in-law.

Creature searchers turned out by the van and pickup truck loads Thursday for an all-night search, spearheaded by a radio station crew from Shelby, the Cleveland County seat.

Broadcasters admitted the search and live broadcast from the area around Carpenter's Knob was mostly a publicity gimmick. They gathered with their entourage at several spots where "Knobby" is reported to have been seen.

They failed, however, to turn up any sign of the creature and packed up their broadcasting equipment this morning.